HC Deb 03 July 1941 vol 372 cc1466-7
5. Mr. Rhys Davies

asked the Minister of Labour the number of persons employed and unemployed, respectively, in the Lancashire textile industry at the end of 1938, 1939 and 1940, and the last date for which figures are available?

Mr. Bevin

As the reply includes a table of figures, I will, if I may, circulate it in the OFFICIAL REPORT.

Mr. Davies

Can the right hon. Gentleman say whether any of these men are finding work in other occupations?

Mr. Bevin

Yes, Sir.

Following is the table:—

The available figures relate to persons insured under the Unemployment Insurance Acts. The table below shows for the cotton industry, the textile bleaching, printing, dyeing, etc., industry, and all other textile industries in Lancashire the estimated total numbers of persons aged 14 to 64, employed and unemployed, insured under the Unemployment Insurance Acts at the beginning of July, 1938 and 1939, the only dates in those years for

Date Cotton Industry Textile Bleaching Printing, Dyeing, All other Textile Industries All Textile Industries
Estimated total numbers insured.
July, 1938 … … … 332.190 40,400 53,690 426,280
July, 1939 … … … 318,280 39,060 55,000 412,340
Insured persons recorded as unemployed
12th December, 1938 … … 70,068 8,891 6,952 85.911
11th December, 1939 … … 22,469 3,617 2,927 29,013
12th August, 1940 … … 16,155 3,397 3,604 23,156
*Women aged 60–64 ceased to be insurable at 1st July, 1940, and the figures for August, 1940, therefore relate to males aged 14–64 and females aged 14–59.